


Meetings In Gotham

by AngelWithAStory



Category: Young Justice, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: First Meetings, Friendship/Love, M/M, Male Friendship, Pre-Canon, School, School Competition, Wally's POV, mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-26 09:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/649042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelWithAStory/pseuds/AngelWithAStory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the story of how Wally West from Central City met Dick Grayson from Gotham.<br/>Luck may have had something to do with the events that followed, but the only thing they were sure of was; nothing could ever truly be the same after...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Another Reason To Feel Different

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I was bored again. SUE ME!!! I'm having major YJ feels because Saturday is so far away and I was all out of Bluepulse ideas. This is my second favourite ship in the series (third is Superboy and Miss Martian (I don't like Lagoon Boy, he's creepy)) so I decided to honour them with this. no idea how it will turn out, but I'm bad a drabbles so it may well turn out to be a full-blown story in the end. 
> 
> Classic disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice or any of the characters. If I did, I wouldn't be waiting until Saturday to see the next episode.

“Wallace West. The headmistress wants to see you in her office.” The irritable teach announced to her class first thing Monday morning. Wally West (better known in the trade as Kid Flash, sidekick to The Flash) looked up from his notepad suddenly as his name registered. Quickly grabbing the sheets of paper in front of him and stuffing them into a black and grey backpack, he slipped out the door and sauntered down the hallways. The school was eerily silent as the normality of school began for another long week. Wally racked his hand through his shockingly auburn hair and rubbed his eyes. Last night’s patrol had gone on a bit later than he’d anticipated due to a thief that had decided five minutes to midnight was the perfect time to break into a jewellery shop. Some criminals were so inconsiderate.

Wally tapped the door to the reception nervously and waited for the tell-tale buzz of his admittance. The familiar buzz sounded and he pushed the door open. The woman behind the desk glanced up at him and resumed tapping keys on the keyboard in front of her.

“Er, excuse me. I was told the head teacher wants to see me.” Wally explained nervously. Somehow, the receptionist was always intimidating when you had no idea why you were there.

“Name?” She half demanded.

“Wally West.” The redhead answered, stifling a yawn.

“Ahh yes. Go right in.” The woman said, lazily gesturing to the door. Wally nodded curtly and walked to the door she pointed out. Wally could count on his fingers how many times he’d been inside the headmistress’ office. It was nerve-wrecking when you had no idea why you were there.

“Miss?” Wally called out, poking his head around the door.

“Ah, Wally. Sit down.” The perky head teacher exclaimed brightly, gesturing him to come in. Wally did so and sat down opposite the imposing desk. “Your teacher didn’t tell you why you’re here did they?” The head asked with a knowing glint in her youthful eyes.

“No. She just said you wanted to see me.” Wally replied, shifting his backpack so it rested against the outside of his leg.

“Good.” The head said, slipping into her desk chair and leaning forwards on the desk. “You’ve been chosen out of everyone in the school to represent us at the Gotham Academic Challenge.”  She revealed, smiling as if she was the one receiving the news. Wally couldn’t share her enthusiasm; he was too overwhelmed with it.

“Me? I’m just a Freshman!” He replied, still slightly stunned. Luckily, he got over it quickly.

“You scored the highest on the school-wide academic exam last week. You did better than some Seniors. You should feel proud of yourself.” She added, opening one of her desk draws and taking out some sheets of paper. She handed them over to Wally and leaned back in her chair. He took them from her and skimmed the text on the page.

“Am I the only one going?” Wally asked finally, really wishing he at least have someone else with him. He really didn’t want to be the only one from Central City there.

“The only one from this school, yes. Don’t worry; other school are competing in the Academic Challenge from across the US. And obviously, it will be held at Gotham Academy, so you’ll be able to meet lots of other kids like you while you’re there. Some of the teachers will be there, and you’ll need a guardian to go with you. All the information is on the letter, but you can come and see me at any time if you aren’t sure. Feel proud of yourself Wally. You earned this.” She concluded, looking at Wally kindly. The small sparkle of happiness never left her eye. Wally looked up at her and nodded.

“I should be getting to class.” Wally said finally, swinging the backpack onto his shoulder. He left the room, still reading the information presented to him. Groaning inwardly, Wally folded the latter and tucked it into the front pocket. He didn’t need another excuse to feel different to his school mates. He already was a superhero and a speedster, did he _need_ to be any more different. The bell rang far off and he absently walked to his first lesson.

 

“So, Wall-man, what were you called in for?” A blonde haired boy asked, catching up to Wally at the end of the day. Wally looked over his shoulder and slowed down so his friend could catch up.

“I’ve been selected to do this academic challenge thing in Gotham.” Wally admitted, walking out the school gates and turning to walk home.

“Harsh. I just got detention again for almost blowing up the science lab because you weren’t there. We’re lab partners for a reason! I need your science know-how to pass.” The blonde boy criticised.

“Remind me why I’m friends with you.” Wally said exasperatedly. The blonde boy chuckled and slung his arm around Wally’s shoulders, causing the redhead to huff in annoyance.

“Funny man. Anyway, I gotta run. Make sure you’re in Chemistry tomorrow. I can’t afford another detention this week.” The blonde said smartly, ducking away from Wally and walking away down the street. Wally sighed and his shoulders slumped. Why was he friends with that jerk? He was Kid Flash for God’s sake. He didn’t need that.

Still moaning inside his own head, Wally walked back home, preparing himself to tell his parents.


	2. Preperations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally still isn't sure about the Gotham Academic Challenge. He still thinks there's been some mistake. it isn't until he gets there that he starts thinking it's a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know I'm not the best at typical American school phrases, so I apologise in advance. 
> 
> Classic disclaimer:  
> I don't own Young Justice in any way because if I did, Jaime Reyes/Bart Allen (Bluepulse) would SOO be canon :P  
> All rights reserved for the people who do own it.

“So KF. I heard about school. Gotham, huh? Impressive.” The man dressed in red with lightning bolt assents praised.

“I guess.” The boy decked out in vivid yellow and red replied, slipping his goggles over his eyes. The older man chuckled.

“Your aunt’s insanely proud. Finally that big head came into use.” He said, ruffling the younger boys’ hair that stuck up out of his cowl. Kid Flash ducked out the way, grumbling.

“Well. I have to bring a guardian, and since we’re in Gotham, I figured you could come with and maybe we could meet up with Batman.” Kid Flash suggested, looking around him to try and spot any criminals.

“Not sure about the Batman thing, since he does have Robin. But if your parents don’t mind, I’ll happily go with you to the Academic thing. Sounds like a blast.” Flash replied, spotting a shifty looking man in a mask by a designer clothes shop. Kid Flash nodded and also caught sight of the man. The two waited to see if he was going to cause trouble.

 

 

Wally walked into the large hall and steadily took in the grand décor. Barry Allen clapped his nephew on the shoulder and looked around as well.

“Beats Keystone by miles.” He remarked.

“Definatly.” Wally agreed, taking in the high ceilings. A flustered looking man came up to the pair and looked at the clip board in his arms.

“Hello. Which school are you from?” He asked, glancing from Wally to the list.

“Keystone. Wally West.” He replied. The man ran his finger down the list of names and stopped at the right one, scratching it off with his biro.

“Ahh. Found you. You’re in group 3 in the far corner. The competition starts tomorrow but we thought you should at least get to know your teammates before then. Head over when you’re ready and we’ll see you here tomorrow at 9 sharp. Don’t be late.” He said, moving off to greet another set of people. Barry immediately got his phone out and set an alarm for 7am.

“Should we go say hi?” The older speedster said, prompting his nephew over to the table with a large ‘3’ on the top. They both walked over, manoeuvring between tables. There were two other people at the table. A girl with long mousy hair tied back was sat reading a book, leaning back on the plastic chairs. The other was a short, skinny boy with coal-coloured hair. He vaguely reminded Wally of a book character, minus glasses of course. His black hair was mussed up and his casual clothes were slightly too big on his willowy frame. However, instead of green eyes, shockingly bright blue belonged to this particular brunet. The boy caught sight of him and smiled.

“Are you in this group?” He asked, standing up to greet Wally.

“If this is group three, than yeah.” Wally replied, returning to bright smile offered to him.

“Well, if the giant three is anything to go by, I’d say you are.” The boy retorted, a small laugh rising in his voice. Wally’s smile widened very slightly.

“I guess that should have been a clue.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I’m Wally.” The redhead extended his hand and the boy took it.

“Richard. But everyone calls me Dick.” The boy replied.

“Not a nice nickname.” Wally commented, drawing another laugh out of him.

“It’s an old-fashioned nickname for Richard.” Dick pointed out, not in the slightest bit nervous. “I take it you’re from one of the other schools.” He observed.

“Keystone in Central City. What school are you from?” Wally replied, leaning against the brick wall.

“Here. My dad sends me to Gotham Academy.” Dick said. Wally’s eyes widened very slightly but he recovered quickly.

“So this is your school? Won’t that give you a home-court advantage?” Wally asked slyly. Something about this kid let him talk easily.

“Not at all. It’s a fair challenge and we intend to keep it that way. Each group’s a mix so there are no biased teams.” He explained, his dark hair throwing the light slightly. “What’s your strong point?” He inquired.

“Pardon?” Wally snapped out of his thoughts as he found himself looking at the shine of Dick’s raven hair.

“Well, I got here from my maths grades. She knows all about literature and the other girl who left, is big on art and history. What are you?” Dick explained, his bright blue eyes scanned Wally’s face briefly.

“Science, I guess. My head teacher said I scored higher than some of the seniors at my school.” Wally answered, scanning the hall. His uncle Barry had mysteriously disappeared when Wally had started speaking to Dick and Wally secretly cursed him for that.

“Oh. A science man, huh?” Dick repeated, an odd texture to his voice.

“Hey, science explains everything.” Wally said in a small protest, his iconic smile on his face.

“Care to put that to the test?” Dick challenged playfully. There was an odd familiarity surrounding this boy, but Wally couldn’t understand why. It was the smile. The smile and the laugh. Wally was sure he’d heard it _somewhere_. The familiar figure of Barry Allen appeared at Wally’s side once again and he was forced out of his thoughts.

“Hey kiddo.” Barry greeted, clapping his hand of Wally’s shoulder. The redhead jumped at his uncle’s touch and Dick laughed at his shock. Wally gave Dick a look which made him laugh harder. An irritated huff sounded from the girl in the chair and she snapped the book shut. When she stood up, she was the same height as Wally but she had a very annoyed look on her face. Wally’s attention was caught by the movement of her standing and he smiled at her. The girl’s resolve broke slightly and she offered a very small smile in return.

“I have to go. I’ll see you two tomorrow for the start of the competition.” She said curtly, recovering her demeanour.

“Didn’t catch your name.” Wally called after her sarcastically. She continued stalking off out the hall. The two boys smiled at each other. This was going to be a good academic competition.


	3. Last Minute Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night before the competition is the perfect time for crime-fighting, wouldn't you say so?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the amazing feedback. I can't wish for anything more than people liking each fanfiction. 
> 
> I'm torn between keeping this just the development of friends, or actually pairing them together. I seriously don't know which way to take this, so I'll try and keep it neutral until I've made up my mind.

“Kid, suit up.” Barry Allen declared, opening the door to the hotel room with finesse. Wally West nearly jumped out his skin at the sudden appearance of his uncle. The phone that was in his grip clattered to the ground and Wally leaned off his single bed to retrieve it. A new scratch decorated the screen and the message he was composing now included ‘ **h48kfjer** ’. Scowling, the redhead deleted the gibberish and looked back up the older speedster.

“Suit up for what?” Wally asked, resuming the tapping of keys on his phone.

“Patrol.” Barry replied simply. Wally raised an eyebrow but didn’t look away from the screen in front of his eyes.

“I thought you said we didn’t need to patrol since Gotham’s Bat territory.” Wally reminded him.

“Me and Bats thought it would be good for you and Robin to work together. You know, you two are the future of the Justice League. Heroes don’t live forever.” Barry explained, reaching into his suitcase and pulling out the famous red costume that transformed him into the Flash.

“My life is a lie.” Wally replied sarcastically, but he got up from his bed anyway. Despite his uncle’s words, Wally had indeed brought his own costume. He disappeared into the adjoining bathroom and quickly changed so he was no longer Wally West. The goggles that completed his transaction were still in his suitcase and Wally quickly fetched them, slipping them over his forehead.

“Ready kid?” Barry asked, opening the window which would be their way out.

“Just can we not stay out too late this time? The competition starts at 9.” Wally reminded the older man. Barry smirked behind his cowl and zoomed out the window. Wally followed suit, tracing the distinguishable smudge of red. They both skidded to a stop along a deserted road and Wally slipped the goggles over his eyes, switching to inferred setting.

“Bats said this was the place.” Barry – The Flash, sorry – informed Kid Flash. Kid Flash frowned slightly and hitched the goggles up off his face. Suddenly, a laugh reverberated through the empty air and both speedsters jumped.

“Joker?” Kid Flash asked innocently. From what he’d heard about Gotham, Joker did not sound like a man he’d like to meet at night along an abandoned street.

“Other side of the law.” A new voice corrected, slipping out of the shadows. Batman was in view, the dark grey and black of his own costume making it easy for him to slip out of sight, even during the day. He turned his head over his shoulder and called out. “Robin.” He said sternly. A much smaller boy materialised next to him. It was quite a feat for the boy to be able to bland in so succesfully, considering his costume was quite bright. His top half was a vivid red with yellow clasps down the middle. The classic ‘R’ over his heart stood out along with the lining of his cape. Batman must be one great teacher, because Robin slipped out of nowhere.

“Hey Bats.” Flash greeted cheerfully. Batman turned to face him fully, cape shifting to completely shroud him. The small boy looked at Wally and their gazes met. Both of them smiled at each other and Wally was struck with how dazing this boy’s smile was. How could someone smile that vibrantly? And why was it slightly familiar?

 

“Wally West, wake up! It’s half 7 and you’re the one who didn’t want to be late!” Barry complained, shaking his nephew’s shoulders. Wally groaned as sleep withdrew and lazily sat up. His Kid Flash costume was still strewn across the floor where he’d left it but somehow, the goggles were still lodged in his hair.

“Not enough sleep.” He muttered, pulling the last remains of his superhero persona out of his hair.

“Eight hours sleep is plenty, Wally. Now hurry up so we can catch breakfast. You’re metabolism will not survive until lunch if you don’t eat now.” Barry retorted, already fully dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Wally groaned and swung his legs off the (surprisingly comfortable) hotel bed, walking over to the bathroom. He splashed cold water over his face and quickly combed his hair back into submission. His own outfit was laid out on his bed and Wally changed quickly, the last remnants of sleep fading with each movement. The two speedsters headed down to the hotel restaurant and feasted on a satisfactory breakfast of cereal and croissants.

“What time’s it?” Wally asked, shovelling some more food into his mouth.

“Quarter past 8.” Barry replied, checking his phone. Wally quickly finished off his food and stood up.

“We should be going.” He said urgently.

“Since when are you so eager to do something school-related?” Barry asked, an amused edge to his voice. Wally chose to ignore the comment and continued to pester his uncle.

“I don’t want to be late. _Come on_ Uncle Barry.” He said. The tone he used was impatience mixed with a minute amount of pleading. Barry responded and hurried up, catching up to Wally.

“Big competition in an even bigger city.” Barry commented. “Nervous?”

“Me? Nervous? You’ve got the wrong nephew.” Wally replied, completely sure of himself.

“Maybe I have. Last time there was a swimming competition, you practically wet yourself with nerves.” Barry replied slyly, watching the others reaction. Wally groaned again from past embarrassment.

“Why bring that up?” He questioned, not happy with the smirk that had grown on his uncle’s face. “Anyway, that wasn’t my sport. This is science. My time to shine.” Wally managed to divert the conversation successfully. Barry smiled at Wally’s enthusiasm for science and they walked through the gateway to Gotham Academy.


	4. Let The Challenge Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gotham Academic Challenge will now begin...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. This is a very short, connecting chapter. I will post the next one immediately so, yeah.
> 
> Also, thank you for the comments! Keep commenting because I am unfamiliar with American customs and terminology so all the Americans reading, please keep me in check. I'm trying my best but I will use British spelling unintentionally. 
> 
> Anyway; keep reading!

The duo walked into the Gotham Academy hall at exactly 9 o’clock. A lightly plump man stood in front of a microphone at the front.

“Settle down everyone. Settle down.” He said, trying to calm the excitement of the students.

“Hurry up to your table. Text me when it finishes and I’ll pick you up, okay? Good luck.” Barry promised, ruffling Wally’s hair affectionately. Wally turned and hurried over to his table. The two girls were sitting beside each other, looking fairly nervous. Dick was in his chair, tapping a few buttons on his phone. He was wearing a grey jumper that was slightly too big for him, the sleeves reaching past his wrist. Wally pulled his chair up next to him and cleared his throat. Dick closed his phone screen and looked up at Wally, blue eyes meeting green.

“Finally made it.” Dick commented, a sly smiled on his young face.

“The man said nine. It’s nine now.” Wally said in defence.

“Silence, everyone.” The man at the front demanded. Wally fell silent guiltily and Dick smiled. The two girls looked forwards, not daring to miss a word.

“Get here earlier tomorrow.” Dick warned in a low voice.

“Thank you.” The man at the front said, sighing slightly. “Welcome everyone to the Gotham Academy Challenge! All of you here have been picked because of your exceptional talent in academic studies. Now, the challenge will be split into rounds. The winner’s of each round will gain a certain number of points. First place gets 20 points; second gets 19, third receives 18 and so on. At the end of the challenge, the total amount of points will be tallied up and the overall winners will receive a prize. Now, without further ado, let’s start! Teachers,” He explained, calling all the staff over to him.

“I’m sorry I’m on time, Dick.” Wally started snippily, but Dick cut him off.

“It’s not that. I’ve been stuck with these two girls and they are not good conversationalists.” Dick confessed, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve been bored out my mind. I started playing games on my phone before you arrived.” Wally smirked and nodded back to the group of teachers.

“Think we stand a chance?” He questioned, keeping his voice low.

“Definatly.” Dick agreed, smiling surely.

 


	5. Split Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally West's two lives are sometimes threateningly close...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the promised chapter, exactly 30 seconds after the first one was posted.
> 
> Good news! I've made up my mind and this will be a pairing fic, just give me a chance to set the scene.

"So you aren't in Gotham for much longer, huh?" Robin asked, breaking the silence. He tried to keep his voice casual, but there was an underlying tone that snagged Kid Flash's attention. 

"A few more days at the most. I'm only here for a school competition." Kid Flash replied, looking over the roof edge curiously. Flash and Batman had told them to stay put, to both the sidekick's discontent.  They’d been sitting on the roof top for, what felt like, hours and their mentors hadn’t contacted them.

"The Gotham Academic Challenge?" Robin inquired, looking at KF from behind his mask. 

"Yeah. I'm the only person from Keystone to participate. It sucks that none of my friends are here, but it's been quite fun so far. My group won today's round." The speedster bragged, looking slightly smug. 

"Do you like your group?" Robin continued, asking questions just to pass the time. 

"There's a girl who's a bit stuck up, but she knows her stuff. The other girl's insanely quiet, but quite sweet. And Dick's really cool. He's like, a genius when it comes to maths, and he knows everything about any tech on the planet. Plus he's quite cute." Kid Flash recalled. For some reason, a speck of colour brushed Robin's cheeks when Kid Flash said Dick was cute. Luckily the darkness seemed to conceal his embarrassment. _Mostly_. 

"So you're gay?" Robin questioned, trying to sound nonchalant. 

"Bi." KF corrected, turning his gaze to Robin. "Does that change anything?" He asked, half-worried about the answer. 

"No. Of course not Kid Flash." Robin reassured him, meeting his gaze as well as he could behind the domino mask. 

"Call me Wally." Kid Flash said. "Wally West." Robin's eyes widened very slightly.  

"Okay, Wally." Robin agreed warily, still unsure. Kid Flash smiled to himself. 

 

"Hey Wall-man! Ready for round two?" Dick asked, greeting Wally as he approached the table. Wally beamed at him, raking a hand through his hair. 

"Yeah." Wally agreed, stifling a yawn. Dick grinned at him knowingly. 

"Rough night?" He asked sympathetically. 

"You could say that." Wally said tiredly. In truth, he and Robin had been called into a fight by The Flash and Batman near to 11:30pm. 

"Well, stay sharp. We're on a winning streak." Dick prompted. Wally looked at him properly and he couldn't help but notice small dark circles under his eye which he tried to hide. 

"We won the first round. I wouldn't class that as a winning streak." Wally countered, still smiling at his teammate. 

"Settle down everyone." The main-speaker's voice boomed around the hall. 

"Show time." Dick announced, settling into his chair. 


	6. Pizza and Ice cream In Gotham Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you eat to celebrate a victory?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's Saturday, so it's time for me to write Young Justice fanfics (occasionally Teen Titans, as well).   
> enjoy it because I can almost guarantee intense fangirl feels with this weeks episode. 
> 
> Do I need to do a disclaimer? You all know I'm not important enough to own Young Justice or any of the characters.

"Hey Wally." Dick began hesitantly. The day was up and group 3 had won the second round of the Challenge. "Do you wanna grab a pizza?" He asked finally. Wally smiled at him shyly. 

"Sure." Wally agreed, walking to the exit beside Dick. "It's your city; lead the way." The red head said, a small laugh in his voice.

"Well there's a nice pizzeria a few streets away..." Dick stated, casually slinging his arm around Wally's shoulder. They walked to the pizzeria and ordered a large pepperoni pizza to share. A few minutes later, Dick had just finished his first slice while Wally was into his fourth. 

"Whoa! Slow down, you'll make yourself ill eating that fast." Dick said reproachfully, keeping his voice light-hearted. 

"Quick metabolism. A day of kicking intellectual butt makes me hungry." Wally defended, holding his hands up innocently. 

"You can't need that much energy." Dick continued, secretly intrigued by Wally. 

"You'd be surprised." Wally replied, a tease in his voice. Dick looked away from him and blushed, which only made Wally's grin widen. 

"Fancy some ice cream?" Dick asked when he'd gotten over his initial embarrassment. Wally nodded, finishing off his sixth slice of pizza. Dick paid the bill (ignoring any attempt on Wally's part that they should split it) and guided him to a little ice cream shop beside the city park. 

"How can you know this city so well? It's massive." Wally asked, giving the cashier the money he owed for the two ice creams. They started to wonder through the park, oblivious to anything else. 

"Exploration, mainly. You can never know something if you aren't brave enough to explore it." Dick replied, looking about the city fondly. 

"Central City’s so much different. You see half the city on the way to school and it's nearly impossible to get lost. Everyone pretty much knows each other and they're always happy to point you in the right direction." Wally commented, spooning some chocolate ice cream into his mouth. 

"The people here can be a bit hostile; you just need to know how to deal with them." Dick reassured his companion, working his way through the ice cream Wally treated him to. 

"Care to give me a few tips." Wally half-inquired, the tease back in his voice. Dick grinned mischievously. 

"Rule number one for surviving Gotham: stick close to me. That about covers it. You can't learn everything from someone else. You have to experience it for yourself most of the time." Dick said, dumping his ice cream container into one of the litter bins. Wally did the same and looked at Dick. He thrust his hands into his jacket pockets to hide them from the cold that seemed to smother Gotham.  

"Okay then, how do I get the full Gotham experience?" Wally inquired, an intriguing look in his eyes. 

"Stick with me kid, I'll show you the ropes." Dick said, putting on an accent and slinging his arm around Wally's neck, pulling the latter closer. 

"Kid? I'm older than you." Wally countered, raising an eyebrow. 

"By a year, and you're missing the point." Dick shot back. 

"Okay then Dickie bird," Wally began, an evil smirk on his face. He was interrupted by his ring tone and he fished his phone out of his jean pocket. 

"Who's that?" Dick asked, trying to peer at the phone screen. 

"My uncle." Wally told Dick. He retracted his arm and looked as Wally took the call. "Hey, Uncle Barry. What... I'm at Gotham Park... No I'm not by myself... Dick's with me... Dick, from my group for the Challenge... The dark haired one... Yes, that one Barry..." A small blush crept up on Wally at this point and Dick could only guess what his uncle had said to make him cringe. "Okay Uncle Barry, I'll head straight there. See you soon." Wally tapped a button on the screen and looked back at Dick. 

"What’s up?" He asked, bright blue eyes leering at Wally curiously. 

"I've been summoned." Wally replied jokily. "My uncle wants me back at the hotel. Sorry Dick, I've got to go." Wally apologised, putting his phone back in his pocket. 

"Do you know where the hotel is?" Dick asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. 

"From here? No idea. I tend to go with the flow." Wally said, looking around the park. 

"Well, 'going with the flow' in Gotham is likely to get you the victim of a mugging. I'll show you where the hotel is, save you from _danger_." Dick declared. 

"'cos that doesn't make me sound pathetic in anyway." Wally said sarcastically, allowing Dick to escort him to the hotel. 


	7. Uncle Barry - The Troll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry Allen can be such a troll sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. there will be a few chapters in quick succession because I've written quite a lot but I still have no idea where this is going but I'll try and make my mind up quickly. enjoy!

“Okay Barry, what was so important that you dragged me away from my friend?” Wally demanded, throwing open the hotel room door. Barry was standing, leaning against the wall, an amused look on his face.

“How long have you known the kid?” Barry questioned, a small knowing look in his eye.

“He’s nice.” Wally defended shyly, turning away from his uncle.

“I’m sure there’s another word you used to describe him. What was it?” Barry asked rhetorically, pretending to think hard.

“Shut up Uncle Barry.” Wally said strongly.

“What was the word? Was it ‘cute’ by any chance?” The older man continued, smirking.

“What is the point of this?” Wally demanded, rubbing his temples in frustration, desperately trying to hide the colour in his cheeks.

“No point, it’s just funny.” Barry replied, dodging the pillow thrown his way expertly. “Anyway, Bats wants an early patrol so suit up.” The older speedster said, tossing the familiar yellow and red uniform to Wally. He caught it and rubbed the material between his fingers.

“You know, I’m not sure if I’m feeling well enough for patrol in Gotham.” Wally said hesitantly. Barry sighed and looked at his nephew imploringly.

“Okay. It’s not a normal patrol. You know who Bruce Wayne is right?” Barry asked, suddenly looking concerned.

“Yeah. He’s a billionaire, right? Owns Wayne Enterprise.” Wally added, not sure where this is going.

“That’s right. Well, he’s holding a benefit tonight and he’s afraid people will target it. We’ve been asked to patrol it and make sure nothing will happen.” Barry explained.

“Why can’t Batman do it? It’s his town.” Wally said, slightly annoyed. Barry sighed and Wally knew they’d reached the subject he didn’t want to talk about.

“He... just can’t, okay. We’re filling in for them tonight.” Barry lied quickly. Wally saw the look on his uncle’s face and realised he should just shut up and do the patrol.

“Alright, Barry. Give me a minute to suit up.” Wally relented. Barry broke out in a smile and clapped Wally on the shoulder.

 

 

The two speedsters where perched up on the roof of a very fancy hotel’s main hall. Barry – The Flash - was standing, monitoring the entrance, making sure no one shady got in. Kid Flash was crouched, looking through the main skylight over the hall, keeping a watchful eye from above. Neither of them had spoken a word in ages and Kid Flash was starting to get a cramp in his leg.

“Anything on your side?” Kid Flash asked quietly, not wanting to draw any attention to the two superheroes on the roof.

“ No. How about you?” Flash replied, not taking his eyes off the ground beneath him.

“ _Nada_.” Kid Flash said, exasperatedly. He leaned back to relieve his leg and stretched his cramped muscle out. “The party’s in full-swing. If they were going to make a move, they’d have done it by now.” He commented.

“Be patient, Kid. We don’t want to take any chances. Wayne’s an important figure in this town. Anyone could be after him.” Flash explained, briefly glancing at his sidekick.

“Yeah, I guess.” Kid Flash muttered, peering down at the scene below him. Lazily casting his eyes around, Wally spotted Bruce Wayne. He was greeting people, a small glass of wine in his hand, standing beside a much shorter person. The other person was making small talk (as far as Kid Flash could tell) with one of the party-goers. He had black hair, like Bruce, but there was no way they were related, Kid Flash could tell that much. The boy was too familiar...

“Dick.” Kid Flash said in shock.

“Look, I know you aren’t happy about doing this but I think name-calling is just...” Barry snapped, turning around quickly to look at Kid Flash.

“Not you. Dick’s in there. Standing beside Bruce.” Kid Flash explained, jabbing his finger on the glass.

“Oh yeah. He’s Bruce Wayne’s ward. Didn’t he tell you?” Flash asked, looking over his shoulder.

“No.” Kid Flash answered, a little downcast. Flash ruffled his hair and resumed his post. Kid Flash kept his eyes on the black hair of his teammate and drifted into his thoughts.


	8. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You never know how much you care for something until you almost lose it to a madman with a gun...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay: so this is a bit of a risk for me. For some reason it was slightly difficult to write because of the amount of males and I could use 'he' as much to give me some variety. I hope it turned out alright and not too repetitive. Yeah, fluffier chapter than the others and I'm warning you: DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ! Simple as (though if you've gotten this far, I don't need to warn you - you know it's a slash fic)

It happened in slow-motion. Kid Flash was watching the duo they were protecting when he noticed a man walking up behind them. He watched as the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. He saw the man reach a hand out towards Dick and Bruce.

“FLASH!” He shouted, opening the skylight. Flash zipped over and looked at the scene playing. The two raced down. As soon as their presence became known, more men pulled guns out of their pockets. Flash took one sweeping glance of everyone and decided a battle plan. He took out all the men with guns, dropping the arsenal for them all to see. Kid Flash started getting everyone out. The crowd stampeded to the exit.

All the men who had guns were quickly subdued, except two. The man who KF spotted first had taken advantage of the commotion to sneak up on Bruce and Dick. Both speedsters met up in the middle of the hall and turned towards them.

“Leave now or I shot.” The gunman threatened, holding the barrel to Dick’s head. He had his forearm pressing against Dick’s throat, effectively cutting off his air supply. The second man was pinning Bruce’s arms behind his back so he couldn’t help his ward in anyway.

“Get Bruce and get him out of here. I’ll make sure Dick’s alright.” Kid Flash said in a low voice to his mentor. Flash nodded subtly and they both moved at the exact same time. Kid Flash ran forwards, knocking the gun out of the man’s head and punching his in the face, making his stumble into the wall. The man released his grip on Dick, who was caught expertly by Kid Flash. The speedster looked to his mentor who nodded at him. Kid Flash nodded in acknowledgement and scooped up Dick in his arms, who was still pulling air into his lungs.

He set off running, swerving in and out of traffic, scaling one of the buildings to get away from the streets. He let Dick down, making sure he could stand on his own feet.

“Are you alright?” He asked kindly, pushing his goggles up out of his eyes.

“Yeah. Thank you, Kid Flash.” Dick thanked shyly, turning away slightly.

“Are you sure? You look a bit pale.” Kid Flash pressed, laying a gloved hand on Dick’s suited shoulder. Dick absent-mindedly rested his own palm on Kid Flash’s hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah. I’m really fine Kid Flash.” Dick insisted. Kid Flash tried to retract his hand but Dick’s grip tightened slightly. That surprised Kid Flash slightly.

“Just saving you from danger.” Kid Flash stated kindly, leaning forwards slightly. Dick turned around, his palm still enclosing Kid Flash’s hand. Dick’s eyes widened very slightly.

“I know.” Dick whispered, shuddering from the cold of Gotham nights.

“Are you cold?” Kid Flash asked caringly.

“A little.” Dick admitted, looking up into the emerald eyes that were filled with kindness.

“I wish I brought my jacket with me.” Kid Flash said, a small laugh in his voice. “To warm you up.” He added. Dick leaned into Kid Flash, breaking eye contact. He was much shorter than Kid Flash and the top of his head only reached Kid Flash’s nose. Instinctively, Kid Flash wrapped his arms around Dick, holding him close. He could feel Dick’s heartbeat against his chest. Dick leaned away ever so slightly, moving his head so he could look at Kid Flash. Crystal blue eyes locked onto sparkling green and stayed there. Slowly, they moved together. Ignoring the shouts from drivers below. Forgetting about the cold that shrouded them. Just the decreasing space between them mattered suddenly. Their lips met and the world melted away. Kid Flash could feel the gentle heat of Dick’s lips on his and the rising beating of his own heart in his ears. He re-wrapped his arms and around Dick’s shoulders and felt a pair of strong arms on his waist, pulling him closer. Fireworks exploded in his mind. It was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the aftermath...


	9. Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You never know when secrets are going to come out...

They broke apart, gasping slightly. Kid Flash looked into those blue eyes he quickly grew to love seeing. He pressed his lips to Dick’s forehead, slowly replacing it with his own forehead.

“I’m warmer now.” Dick whispered, snuggling into the warmth of the speedster.

“That’s good.” Kid Flash replied, his breath turning to vapour in the cold air.

“You know, no one at school will believe I kissed a superhero.” Dick said quietly, a shy smile shining on his face. “But they might believe I kissed Wally West.” He added, watching kid Flash for any reaction.

“You kissed Kid Flash.” The speedster said forcefully, warning bells going off in his head. Yeah, okay, he wasn’t that concerned about his secret identity, since having told Robin a day ago after knowing him for less than 24 hours. Nonetheless, he felt an overwhelming urge to push Dick away and run. He didn’t though. He loyally stayed put, still enclosed in Dick’s arms.

“Wally.” Dick said reproachfully, moving his arm so he rested his hand on Kid Flash’s cheek. The red head shuddered pleasantly at his touch and sighed.

“In my defence, you didn’t tell me you were Bruce Wayne’s ward.” Kid Flash retorted. The smile on his face was immovable right now.

“I didn’t think it mattered.” Dick replied, moving his other hand to Kid Flash’s other cheek.

“It doesn’t.” Kid Flash reassured him. “But you need to promise me you won’t tell anyone else my secret. Promise me, Dick.” He demanded, turning serious.

“I promise Wally. You have my word.” Dick promised, looking deeply into his eyes. They sealed the promise with another kiss. Wally closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the sensation of the kiss. They broke apart again. Dick’s handed slowly slid to the bottom edge of his cowl. His elegant fingers slid under the yellow fabric gently. Wally closed his eyes and allowed Dick to remove the only mask that spilt his two lives apart. Dick slipped the mask off neatly, following it to the back of Wally’s neck. His red hair fell over his face slightly and fluttered softly in the breeze. Wally opened his eyes again and looked at Dick’s unsurprised face.

“Who’d you know?” Wally breathed, letting the cold air cool down his exposed skin.

“I’d know those eyes anywhere. It’s hard to miss something like that.” Dick explained, smiling kindly.

“I guess it is.” Wally agreed, closing any space between them. They stood onto of the building, locked in each other’s embrace, completely oblivious to the world in motion around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I have no idea where to go from here. I know this isn't the end of the story, but I don't know exactly how to thread it together. Rest assured, I will find a way, it might just take a day or two.


	10. The Rooftop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid Flash's time in Gotham draws to a close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY FELLOW BIRDFLASH SHIPPERS!! I am eternally sorry for the delay in updating because I've just been so preoccupied with other stuff and you've probably lost interest in this but I thought I lost the file I did for the ending BUT I FOUND IT so rejoicing, I am here to finish the story. 
> 
> penultimate chapter.

“I leave tomorrow.” Kid Flash stated solemnly, leaning against the wall of one of Gotham's oldest buildings. 

“I know.” Robin replied, looking away.  

“I’ve really liked working with you and Bats. It's been a blast.” Kid Flash said, smiling slightly. “Gotham’s really cool.” He added, feeling like that was an inadequate statement. Gotham was far superior to Central City in terms of villains. All Central has is Mirror Master and Captain Cold - on a good night. Gotham's villains really got your adrenaline pumping, (even if they were psychos that constantly tried to kill you). Gotham just had a lot more mystery and excitement. Central was more reserved, in a way. You could easily bring up a family in Central City with no need to fear the criminals. 

Robin gave a small smile in return, but there was something behind the smile that was almost sad. 

“Maybe I could swing by Central someday. Nice change of scene.” Robin suggested. 

“Yeah. That'd be nice.” Kid Flash agreed. 

“Come on kiddo; let's turn in for the night.” Flash said, clapping his sidekick on the shoulder. The two speedsters made their way back to the hotel, clambering through the window neatly. “Get some rest Wally. You've had a long week.” Barry said, pulling his cowl off and shaking his blonde hair. 

“Okay. Goodnight Uncle Barry.” Wally muttered, shedding his superhero outfit and changing into his pyjamas. Just before he slid into the hotel bed, he heard his phone buzz on the bedside table. Warily, he picked it up and unlocked the screen. It was a text. From Dick. 

‘ _Can I see you? Before you leave in the morning?_ ’ it read. Wally could hear Dick's voice in his head as he scanned the message. 

‘ _Definitely. Good night_.’ Wally tapped into his phone. His thumb lingered for a few seconds over the send button before he pressed the button. A moment later his phone buzzed again and Wally peered at it curiously. 

‘ _Good night Wall-man x_ ’ His screen relayed. A small flutter of joy rippled through Wally's chest and a small smile cropped up on his face. 

“Whatca smiling about?” Barry asked, pulling back the sheets of his own single bed. Wally carefully placed his phone back on the bedside table and turned to face the outside wall of the room. 

“Nothing.” He lied, still smiling.


	11. Bitter Partings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. The apocalypse. No, not really. Just the last chapter. I really hope you guys enjoyed this and forgave me for the long gap between the 9th and 10th chapters but here is the finale.

“Ready to go?” Barry asked, snapping his suitcase shut. 

“Almost.” Wally replied, laying his uniform on the top of his civvies. 

“Aren't you going to say goodbye to Dick?” Barry inquired, moving his suitcase to by the door. 

“I asked him to meet me by the front door. Do you mind if I go now?” Wally replied, feeling unusually downcast. Even Barry noticed it because he gave Wally a sad smile. 

“Sure kiddo. Remember, our flight’s at 4. Be back by 2 at the latest.” Barry warned kindly. 

“Okay. I’ve got my cell on me.” Wally reassured his uncle, walking out the hotel room door. He walked down in silence, his thoughts taking over his focus. All he could think about was how much he didn't want to go, and how much he'd miss Gotham. Which was weird. No, he'd miss the people more. Batman and Robin were awesome to work with - he wished Batman would teach him the whole 'how-to-be-one-with-the-night' thing he and Robin could do - and crime fighting in Gotham was an experience to cherish. Plus, the Academic Challenge was a lot more fun than he expected. The challenge itself was amusing but it was his Team that made it worthwhile. The two girls were alright once they were comfortable around him and realised he was a jokester and he wasn't just an idiot who got lucky. 

The one aspect of Gotham Wally would miss lost thought was Dick Grayson. In a few days, they'd gone from complete and utter strangers to not wanting to go a day without seeing each other. The girls of their group caught on and teased them mercilessly on the last day of the competition. They didn't mind. Yes, they were interested in each other and, yes, they maybe have gone on a date. But what business was it of theirs? Wally and Dick were happy together and that's what mattered. 

Wally managed to pull himself out of his thoughts in time to reach the front doors. Dick was waiting outside the doors. His jacket just reached his hips and he kept it unzipped, despite the cold. His shirt was a bit snug and it had the Gotham Knights insignia printed white-on-black. Wally smiled to himself as he walked through the doors into the cold. 

“Hey, Dick.” Wally greeted softly, appearing beside the dark-haired boy. 

“Hey.” Dick replied, wrapping his arms around Wally's neck. He softly kissed Wally's cheek and pulled back to look into his eyes. “I couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye.” He said softly, sadness flooding his eye. 

“That sounded like such a cliché.” Wally remarked, his goofy smile on his face. 

“Because you’re _all_ about originality,” Dick drawled. He leaned forwards and held his mouth close to Wally's ear before continuing. “ _Kid_ Flash.” he leaned away, a smirk on his face. 

“Well ‘Speedy’ was taken...” Wally replied jokily, keeping his voice low. 

“You idiot.” Dick said, shaking his head slightly. “I’ll miss you.” He leaned in and kissed Wally properly. Wally enclosed his lanky arms around Dick's waist and held him close. He _really_ didn't want to go. Actually, he didn't want to leave Dick. He wanted to go home and see his family again and be Kid Flash in his natural environment again. 

“I’ll miss you too, Dick.” Wally replied, breaking apart for fresh air. “We can still stay in touch. And who knows, maybe fate will bring me back to Gotham?” The red-head said hopefully. 

“Text me when you get back to Central, okay?” Dick said, looking uncharacteristically sad. 

“I promise.” Wally replied, resting his forehead against Dick’s.

“Okay.” Dick agreed, closing his eyes for a second. “I need to get back to the mansion. Bruce has this big thing on today and I have to be there with him.” He apologised.

“I have to finish packing anyway.” Wally replied.

“Goodbye, Wally West.” Dick said quietly, kissing him on the mouth. “I’ll miss your cowl and the cape.” He admitted, letting go of the red-head.

“My costume doesn’t have a cape.” He stated, slightly ignorantly, keeping his voice down.

“Well, one of us was wearing the cape.” Dick replied casually, watching for his reaction. The penny dropped and Wally’s eyes widened.

“Rob?” He hissed, slightly hoping it wasn’t true.

“I wasn’t the only one who kissed a superhero.” Dick stated, pecking Wally’s cheek. “Have fun in Central, Wall-man.” He bid, walking down the street. Wally stood outside the hotel for a moment, taking in the information. A bright smile crept onto his face and he pushed open the doors.

_I kissed Robin!_ He thought giddily, making his way up the room. Barry caught one look at the smile on his nephew's face and knew.

 

That smile didn't fade until the first bell on Monday morning.

"so, Wally, how did the big competition go?" The headmistress asked, calling him into her office.

"It went much better than I expected." Wally replied, the hidden truth giving him the same giddy feeling that kissing Dick Grayson (ward of billionaire Bruce Wayne and masked vigilante, Robin (eek!)) on that rooftop.

"I'm glad to here that." The head sadi kindly. 

"I'm glad I went. _Really_ glad." 


End file.
